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User blog:VampiresAndWerewolfsareAwesomeAsHell23/Testimony Of Joesph Bruce Ismay (Part Two)
Part Two Senator SMITH. Was he among the survivors? Mr. ISMAY. Unfortunately, no. Senator SMITH. How old a man was he? Mr. ISMAY. It is difficult to judge a man's age, as you know, but I should think he was perhaps 42 or 43 years of age. He may have been less. I really could not say. Senator SMITH. Then, you were the only executive officer aboard representing your company, aside from the ship's customary complement of officers? Mr. ISMAY. Yes, sir. Senator SMITH. Did you have occasion to consult with the captain about the movement of the ship? Mr. ISMAY. Never. Senator SMITH. Did he consult you about it? Mr. ISMAY. Never. Perhaps I am wrong in saying that. I should like to say this: I do not know that it was quite a matter of consulting him about it, of his consulting me about it, but what we had arranged to do was that we would not attempt to arrive in New York at the lightship before 5 o'clock on Wednesday morning. Senator SMITH. That was the understanding? Mr. ISMAY. Yes. But that was arranged before we left Queenstown. Senator SMITH. Was it supposed that you could reach New York at that time without putting the ship to its full running capacity? Mr. ISMAY. Oh, yes, sir. There was nothing to be gained by arriving at New York any earlier than that. Senator SMITH. You spoke of the revolutions on the early part of the voyage. Mr. ISMAY. Yes, sir. Senator SMITH. Those were increased as the distance was increased? Mr. ISMAY. The Titanic being a new ship, we were gradually working her up. When you bring out a new ship you naturally do not start her running at full speed until you get everything working smoothly and satisfactorily down below. Senator SMITH. Did I understand you to say that she exceeded 70 revolutions? Mr. ISMAY. Yes, sir; she was going 75 revolutions on Tuesday. Senator SMITH. On Tuesday? Mr. ISMAY. No; I am wrong - on Saturday. I am mixed up as to the days. Senator SMITH. The day before the accident? Mr. ISMAY. The day before the accident. That, of course, is nothing near her full speed. Senator SMITH. During the voyage, do you know, of your own knowledge, of your proximity to icebergs? Mr. ISMAY. Did I know that we were near icebergs? Senator SMITH. Yes. Mr. ISMAY. No, sir; I did not. I know ice had been reported. Senator SMITH. Ice had been reported? Mr. ISMAY. Yes. Senator SMITH. Did you personally see any icebergs, or any large volume of ice? Mr. ISMAY. No; not until after the accident. Senator SMITH. Not until after the wreck? Mr. ISMAY. I had never seen an iceberg in my life before. Senator SMITH. You never saw one before. Mr. ISMAY. No, sir. Senator SMITH. Had you ever been on this so-called northern route before? Mr. ISMAY. We were on the southern route, sir. Senator SMITH. On this Newfoundland route? Mr. ISMAY. We were on the long southern route; not on the northern route. Senator SMITH. You were not on the extreme northern route? Mr. ISMAY. We were on the extreme southern route for the west-bound ships. Senator SMITH. What was the longitude and latitude of this ship? Do you know? Mr. ISMAY. That I could not tell you; I am not a sailor. Senator SMITH. Were you cognizant of your proximity to icebergs at all on Saturday? Mr. ISMAY. On Saturday? No, sir. Senator SMITH. Do you know anything about a wireless message from the Amerika to the Titanic - Mr. ISMAY. No, sir. Senator SMITH. Saying that the Amerika had encountered ice in that latitude? Mr. ISMAY. No, sir. Senator SMITH. Were you aware of the proximity of icebergs on Sunday? Mr. ISMAY. On Sunday? No; I did not know on Sunday. I knew that we would be in the ice region that night sometime. Senator SMITH. That you would be or were? Mr. ISMAY. That we would be in the ice region on Sunday night. Senator SMITH. Did you have any consultation with the captain regarding the matter? Mr. ISMAY. Absolutely none. Senator SMITH. Or with any other officer of the ship? Mr. ISMAY. With no officer at all, sir. It was absolutely out of my province. I am not a navigator. I was simply a passenger on board the ship. Senator SMITH. Do you know anything about the working of the wireless service on this ship? Mr. ISMAY. In what way? We had wireless on the ship. Senator SMITH. Had you taken any unusual precaution to have a reserve power for this wireless? Mr. ISMAY. I believe there was, but I have no knowledge of that myself. Senator SMITH. Do you know how long the wireless continued to operate after the blow or collision? Mr. ISMAY. No, sir; I do not. Senator SMITH. Did you, at any time see the operator of the wireless? Mr. ISMAY. I did not. Senator SMITH. Did you attempt to send any messages yourself? Mr. ISMAY. I did not. Senator SMITH. Were you outside on the deck, or on any deck, when the order was given to lower the lifeboats? Mr. ISMAY. I heard Capt. Smith give the order when I was on the bridge. Senator SMITH. You heard the captain give the order? Mr. ISMAY. Yes, sir. Senator SMITH. Will you tell us what he said. Mr. ISMAY. It is very difficult for me to remember exactly what was said, sir. Senator SMITH. As nearly as you can. Mr. ISMAY. I know I heard him give the order to lower the boats. I think that is all he said. I think he simply turned around and gave the order. Senator SMITH. Was there anything else said, as to how they should be manned or occupied? Mr. ISMAY. No, sir; not that I heard. As soon as I heard him give the order to lower the boats, I left the bridge. Senator SMITH. You left the bridge? Mr. ISMAY. Yes. Senator SMITH. Did you see any of the boats lowered? Mr. ISMAY. Yes, sir. Senator SMITH. How many? Mr. ISMAY. Certainly three. Senator SMITH. Will you tell us, if you can, how they were lowered? Mr. ISMAY. They were swung out, people were put into the boats from the deck, and then they were simply lowered away down to the water. Senator SMITH. Were these lifeboats on the various decks? Mr. ISMAY. They were all on one deck. Senator SMITH. On what deck? Mr. ISMAY. On the sun deck; the deck above this (indicating on diagram). I do not think it is shown on this plan. Senator SMITH. That is, the second deck above yours? Mr. ISMAY. On this deck here, on the big plan (indicating). Senator SMITH. On the sun deck? Mr. ISMAY. Yes; on what we call the sun deck or the boat deck. Senator SMITH. They were on the boat deck, which would - be the upper deck of all? Mr. ISMAY. The upper deck of all, yes. Senator SMITH. Was there any order or supervision exercised by the officers of the ship in loading these lifeboats? Mr. ISMAY. Yes, sir. Senator SMITH. I wish you would tell just what that was. Mr. ISMAY. That I could not say. I could only speak from what I saw for myself. Senator SMITH. That is all I wish you to do. Mr. ISMAY. The boats that were lowered where I was were in charge of the officer and were filled and lowered away. Senator SMITH. They first put men into the boats for the purpose of controlling them? Mr. ISMAY. We put in some of the ship's people. Senator SMITH. Some of the ship's people? Mr. ISMAY. Yes. Senator SMITH. How many? Mr. ISMAY. That I could not say. Senator SMITH. About how many? Mr. ISMAY. I could not say. Senator SMITH. About three or four? To be Continued........... Category:Blog posts